Grand Hyatt Kauai negotiating committee (sitting, l-r): Local Vice-President Teddy Espeleta and International Vice-President (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado. Standing (l-r): Hoku Keamoai, Tyson Moises, Business Agent Pam Green, Teddy Rentrop, Unit Chairperson Joey Silva, Trudy Azeka, Kori Benzine, Nancy Abigania and Rhonda Morris. Not pictured: Division Director Michael Machado.
ILWU negotiating committee members (left) listen carefully as the company negotiating committee spokesperson responds to union contract proposals
A new three-year contract for over 700 members of Unit 3511 - Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa is now in force. It has been announced by Local Vice President Teddy Espeleta who was the union chief spokesperson.
Wages will increase by 2% effective January, 2015, 1.5% effective June, 2015, 2% effective December, 2015, 1.5% effective June, 2016, 2% effective December, 2016 and 2% effective June, 2017 for a total of 11% over the life of the contract. Also the company agreed to increases in the contribution to the pension and the health and welfare trust
The new contract includes language in the seniority section to strengthen bumping in the event of temporary layoffs.
Other improvements included increases in porterage premiums, valet service charge and service charges in the banquet department and spa. Group life insurance was increased to $20,000.
Gains in the housekeeping department included changes in the daily room credits, increase in the premium for roll-away bed, crib or sofa bed and service charge for room service.
Members of the negotiating committee are as follows: Nancy Abigania, Trudy Azeka, Kori Benzine, Hoku Keamoai, Tyson Moises, Rhonda Morris, Teddy Rentrop, Joey Silva, Wesley Furtado, Michael Machado, Pam Green and Teddy Espeleta.
Espeleta characterized the negotiations as being hard and long. He stated that, “Without this strong committee, we would not have been able to achieve these gains.”
He also thanked International VicePresident (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado who worked tirelessly, “Wes had a large part in directing how the negotiations went.”
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa is an AAA Four Diamond hotel located on the south shore on the Island of Kauai. The property features two saltwater swimming lagoons offering kayak and flotation rentals; two freshwater outdoor pools with connecting “river pools” and three tennis courts.
Anara Spa was chosen by readers of Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best spas in the U.S.
Hawaiian Memorial Park ratifies new contract
KANEOHE—Seventeen ILWU members of Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery are now working under a new three-year contract.
According to union chief spokesperson Wilfred Chang Jr., negotiations began with the company stating that they are struggling to survive and needed to cut costs by eliminating the Ground Maintenance Department and subcontracting the work. The main duties of a ground maintenance worker is general landscaping such as trimming trees, shrubs and lawn maintenance.
A ground maintenance worker is one of five job classification at the cemetery and is the entry level classification. When not engaged in the general landscaping duties they are trained in other job tasks in other job classifications and are paid at the hourly rate of the higher job classification as spelled out in the temporary transfer (TT) section of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), a benefit negotiated in nearly every CBA at an ILWU unionized workplace.
The company’s payroll system doesn’t calculate the TT automatically and needed to be inputted manually, which was an added expense to the company.
The union and company worked out a win-win situation for all parties involved by collapsing the previous five job classifications into just two. The end result was that some workers received as much as a $2.00 an hour wage increase and the company doesn’t have to calculate TT because they will perform tasks within the job classification they are assigned to.
The settlement calls for wage increases of a nickel for each year of the three year agreement. Other gains included language incorporated into the contract which addresses current practices, scheduling of overtime, and job safety protections.
The ratification was held May 29, 2014 and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was approved unanimously.
Members of the negotiating committee are as follows: Unit Steward Janet Leong and Business Agent/Spokesperson Wilfred Chang Jr.
Handyman Christopher Alapai (left) has been with the cemetery for 18 years, and Lead Person George Yamauchi, who started 49 years ago, gather their equipment from the maintenance building and are headed out to the cemetery grounds. Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery workers start at 7:30 a.m. every day and work a five day week schedule which is either Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday.
Business Agent Wilfred Chang Jr., with Group II Vault Maker Janet Leong, a nine year ILWU member and Vault Lead Person Glenn Franks, who started at the cemetery 42 years ago, in the vault-making shop.
